Question NW1241 to the Minister in the Presidency
18 May 2016 - NW1241
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister in the Presidency
(1)With reference to his reply to question 2381 on 24 July 2015, (a) how many of the eight indicated students of the first cohort of bursary holders supported by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) graduated or completed their studies at the end of 2015 as expected and (b) how many learners that enrolled for the first time in the 2013 academic year were supported with funding from the NYDA (2) Of the learners that enrolled in the second cohort of bursary holders supported by the NYDA, how many (a) graduated, (b) are still studying, (c) found other forms of financial support and/or (d) dropped out of their studies since enrolling in 2013 (3) Whether any plans have been put in place to ensure a higher success rate of learners benefitting from the specified funding; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details
Reply:
All eight students referred to graduated in 2015. The NYDA recruited 70 students in 2015 under the NYDA Bursary Scheme, and 10 more students under ‘Scholarship Funding’. Therefore, the combined number of students starting their studies in 2015 was 80.
Scholarship Funding was established in 2013 as a pilot study for the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund which started in 2014. The Scholarship Funding was therefore a precursor to the Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship Fund which currently covers for registration fees, tuition fees, accommodation, meals and books for 406 students.
Out of the 80 students recruited in 2013:
41 have graduated
25 are still in the programme (mainly in longer studies such as Medicine)
2 got other funding offers
12 dropped from the programme
Since the year 2013, NYDA’s Clinical Psychologist visited the universities at least twice a year to assist with mentoring, counselling and coaching of students to ensure a higher success rate. Since the NYDA restructuring process in 2015, the Clinical Psychologist position did no longer exist. In 2016, a Service Provider has been engaged who takes over the coaching and mentoring of the students with a focus on facilitating the transition from school to university.